Destination Great Lake Taupō Officially Kicks-Off Summer Season With A Bang!

Destination Great Lake Taupō hosted its second Taupō Trade Showcase in Tamaki Makarau. The event, targeting inbound tour operators and the wider travel trade industry, was held in a packed meeting room at Weta Unleashed. The event attracted 96 attendees, from various inbound operators and tourism New Zealand; supported by 26 Taupō representatives.

The event was attended by a diverse range of tourism operators, from established accommodation providers to guiding experiences and newly established boutique accommodation and luxury lodges. The showcase enabled smaller operators to make connection in the trade space as well as uncover partnership opportunities for established ones. The event was hailed as a resounding success by inbound guests and participating businesses.

“What a great event yesterday, great questions and really loved the format” noted Sebastien Delteil, Cluster Director of Sales – North Island

“Thank you for a fantastic event last night! It was such a good format. I’ll be reaching out to businesses today” Added Ange Mount, Product & Contracting Manager (NZ), AAT Kings Group

The 2024 edition of the Taupō trade showcase is the second edition of the event, which aims to strengthen the connection between travel trade and Taupō’s tourism sector.

Whilst 35% of Taupō’s visitors are international, the sector officially turned the page on the pandemic in 2024, surpassing 2019 visitor spend. “The tourism sector is worth NZD$63.3M more in 2024 than what it was in 2019” adds Patrick Dault, General Manager, Destination Great Lake Taupō. “This is the equivalent of $175k being spent every single day in the region” clarifies Dault.

Destination Great Lake Taupō seeks to grow the value of international visitors to the region, aligning with Tourism New Zealand’s off-peak strategy, whilst increasing market share of domestic visitors to the region, targeting the North Island domestic market to visit twice a year, and South Island visitors once a year.

During the showcase each operator was given a 1-minute slot to deliver an elevator pitch to capture the agents' interest and showcase their unique offerings. After the elevator pitches, a 1.5-hour session allowed for free-flowing networking and training, fostering deeper connections between agents and operators.

For many tourism businesses this was the first point of contact with trade after a busy year of recovery. Participating businesses were: Hilton Lake Taupo,Rapids Jet, Poronui, FourB, Venture Beyond, DestinateNZ, River Birches, Hukafalls Jet, Taupo Tandem Skydving, Taupo Sailing Adventures, Whakapapa Ski Field, Millennium Hotel and Resort Manuels Taupo, Helisika, Tongariro National Trout Centre, Orakei Korako, Tongariro Expeditions, Tongariro River Rafting as well as recent TIA runner up Huka Falls River Cruise

“Overall, I am very impressed with the event’s outcome and the turn out. Due to the great feedback, I think we can look at making this a yearly event” added Alice Orr, Trade and Partnerships Executive, Destination Great Lake Taupō.

The event is likely to grow next year, with a focus on regenerative tourism, social sustainability, and increasing connections with the Tūrangi and Magakino districts operators.

“The Taupō district has amazing operators with stories to share and places to discover. We can’t wait to share them with the world” concluded Orr.

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